


The Scarecrow

by Small_Hobbit



Category: Spooks | MI-5
Genre: Community: spook_me, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-28
Updated: 2017-10-28
Packaged: 2019-01-25 12:32:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,421
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12531456
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Small_Hobbit/pseuds/Small_Hobbit
Summary: Adam and Lucas' quiet few days in a country cottage don't turn out quite as they expected.





	The Scarecrow

**Author's Note:**

> With many thanks for my beta Okapi :)

Adam Carter smiled at Lucas North as he unlocked the door to the cottage.  “I’ve been really looking forward to this.  A few days away in the countryside, walks through autumn leaves, evenings in front of a roaring fire, just you and me and no pressure whatsoever.”

Lucas muttered that it didn’t hurt to leave London. 

Adam looked at him closely.  “It’s been a difficult few weeks, and now is our chance to put it all behind us.  I know it’s hard, but try not to dwell on things.  If I go and put the kettle on, can you take our bags up to the bedroom?”

Lucas did as he was asked, returning a few minutes later to find Adam in the kitchen.  “There’s a very comfortable bed,” he said, “and the bathroom has been recently modernised.  It’s not really in keeping with a rustic cottage, but I’m not complaining.  And if you look out of the small window half way up the stairs you can see a scarecrow in the nearby field.”

Adam poured the tea and passed a mug over to Lucas with some relief that he seemed to have taken Adam’s advice to heart and decided just to enjoy their stay.

They sat in the lounge for a while, until Adam, realising they were both starting to doze, suggested they get changed and go out for something to eat, before having an early night.  He took the mugs back into the kitchen and followed Lucas up the stairs, to find him looking out of the window.

“It’s almost as though the scarecrow’s turned round to face us,” Lucas said.

“It’s probably the wind,” Adam replied.  “If it was too static it wouldn’t be any use at frightening the birds.”

Adam thought no more about it, until coming downstairs the following morning he again found Lucas staring at the scarecrow.  “I thought you were going to put the kettle on,” Adam said.

“What?  Oh yes, in a minute.  I think the scarecrow’s watching me.”

“Don’t be ridiculous.”  Adam put his arm round Lucas and encouraged him to go downstairs.  “Breakfast.  And then I thought we’d go for a walk.  It’s a nice day at the moment, and it’s supposed to rain later, so let’s take advantage of the sunshine while it’s here.”

Once away from the cottage, Lucas seemed to brighten up, and they both enjoyed the walk.  They returned tired, rather muddy and feeling hungry.

“I’ll go and make us some lunch and then we can head into the town this afternoon.  We can visit the museum you mentioned,” Adam said.

“Good idea.  I’ll clean the mud off our boots and then join you,” Lucas replied.

Half an hour later, when Lucas still hadn’t come in, Adam went to find him.  Lucas was standing, leaning over the gate at the bottom of the cottage garden, directly in front of the scarecrow.  The muddy boots were lying forgotten on the ground beside him.

“Lucas, what are you doing?” Adam called.  “Come on, lunch is ready.”

Lucas spun round.  “What’s the problem?  I thought you wanted me to get some fresh air.”

“Yes, but not like this.  I wanted this trip away to be a break, not to give you further opportunity to brood.”

Adam took Lucas’ hand and all but dragged him into the cottage.  They ate their lunch in silence.  Afterwards, when Lucas said he wasn’t coming into town with him, Adam wasn’t sure whether to be relieved or worried.  He wondered whether it would be better if he stayed, but he was feeling in a bad mood and decided it would be preferable if the two of them had some time apart.

***

Lucas listened as Adam drove off, and then waited a further ten minutes in case he decided to return after all.  Then he walked halfway up the stairs and opened the window.

The scarecrow turned to face him.

“What do you want from me?” Lucas called.

The scarecrow bared its carved teeth.

“Why me?  I wasn’t the only one.”

The scarecrow raised its arms, its claw-like twig fingers pointing to the sky.  Lucas watched as black crows rose out of the ground, the tips of their feathers edged in blood.  Involuntarily, he took a step backwards, almost slipping on the stairs.  Then he realised the crows were heading for the window.  He tried to grab the handle and push the window shut, but it was too late.  The first of the crows were already inside, and the sheer volume of crows coming in prevented Lucas from closing the window.

The crows started to fly round his head, getting closer and closer, and then the world turned black.

***

Adam drove into the town car park and began looking for a space.  As he drove round he finally accepted what he’d known since five minutes after he’d left the cottage: he shouldn’t have come.  He completed his circuit of the car park and exited, taking the road back.

As soon as he entered the cottage, Adam felt the chill.  The expected rain had started as he drove back, and he could hear the sound of raindrops hitting the floor.  “For fuck’s sake, Lucas, did you have to leave a window open?” he shouted.

He switched the light on and instantly saw Lucas’ body lying at the foot of the stairs.  “Shit!”  He ran over and felt Lucas’ neck.  There was a good pulse and he could see Lucas was breathing.  Looking around Adam noticed a few black feathers on the floor, but no other sign of what had happened.

“Lucas,” he said, “can you hear me?”

Lucas groaned and opened his eyes.  “The crows,” he said, and Adam saw the panic in his face.

“There’s nothing here now,” Adam said.

Slowly Lucas began to sit up.

“Take it gently,” Adam said.  “Stop if anything hurts.”

“I don’t think anything’s broken, although I shall probably have some impressive bruises.”

Adam helped Lucas up, and then guided him to the sofa.  “What happened?” he asked.

“They came in, through the window.”

“The crows?”

“Yes, no, yes.  All the people.  All the people on the train.  They flew at me, and I couldn’t stop them.”

Lucas began to shake violently, and Adam put an arm around him.  “It’s okay, I’m here,” he said.

“But it wasn’t a dream.  Not this time.  It was real!”

Adam knew there was no point in attempting to rationalise the events.  He guessed a crow had flown in, from the evidence of the feathers on the floor, and that it had startled Lucas, who had slipped and fallen down the stairs.  And somehow this had become confused in Lucas’ mind with the recurrent nightmare he had been having since the train crash.

Adam was trying to decide the best course of action when there was the sound of someone banging on the door.  He stood up, walked across the floor and opened it.

Lucas screamed.

***

The scarecrow took a step through the doorway and attempted to walk round Adam, who deliberately stood in its way.

“You didn’t expect me to be here did you?” Adam addressed the scarecrow.  “You thought you’d come when Lucas was alone and vulnerable.  Well, you were wrong.”

The scarecrow snarled.

Adam put his hand in his trouser pocket and found his keys.  He made a fist around them, drew his hand back out and punched the scarecrow full in the face.  He then twisted the keys in its head, causing the face to collapse inward.  He withdrew his hand and looked with disgust at the congealing mess around the keys.

The scarecrow collapsed on the floor, and Adam kicked it outside before shutting and firmly locking the front door.

He turned to Lucas.  “Can you make it upstairs if I help you?” he asked.  Lucas nodded.  “I’m packing and then we’re going.  And I’m not leaving you on your own again until we’re well clear of this place.”

***

When Adam walked onto the Grid the following Monday, Malcolm asked him if they’d had a good holiday.

“It was different,” Adam replied.  He didn’t mention they’d ended up spending two nights in a Travelodge, or that it was 24 hours before Lucas said a single word. 

“I tried to look up the cottage you’d said you were going to, because it sounded an ideal spot to take Mother,” Malcolm said.  “But there was nothing in the area on the website you mentioned.”

Adam swallowed and then said, “I wouldn’t recommend it.”

**Author's Note:**

> The inspiration is [Here](https://images49.fotki.com/v1658/photos/6/3814576/14412321/scarecrow_by_m_hugod4ev2gr-vi.jpg)


End file.
